Monday Afternoon Music Fix

The Eels are kicking off 2008 time-capsule style. Along with the Essential Eels Vol. 1 2CD/DVD greatest hits collection, the band will releasing Useless Trinkets (also 2CD/DVD), an all-inclusive anthology of B-sides and rarities that makes the cache of import singles I’ve been collecting just that -- useless trinkets. Get the inside story here.

Both are scheduled for January 15. In the meantime, brush up on E’s pre-Eels days with a ton of downloadable goodness here, courtesy of the Runout Groove.

On the House

Roger Sargent, 2006

The Charlatans UK will probably be pegged as biters, even though the band announced its free album giveaway on the same day as Radiohead. No title for LP10 as of yet, but you’ll be able to get the whole thing at no cost at XFM sometime in early 2008.

Verve fans that have been geeking out since this summer’s reunion announcement finally got a taste last week. Clocking in at over 14 minutes, the "Thaw Session" demo/jam session is the first material the band has laid down in ten years. Download it thanks to Album of the Day.

Watered Down

Gomez co-frontman Ian Ball is testing the waters this week with his solo debut, Who Goes There. From the two tracks posted at Stereogum, it’ll basically be a Gomez cutting-room floor album, ‘cept without that gravely-voiced dude. Yeah, so basically something like this.

There’s a creepy feeling that comes along with listening to a band as young as Tiny Masters of Today. Just imagine how uncomfortable MTV veteran John Norris is in this recent photo. What’s he now, like 60? At 13 and 11, Brooklyn’s Tiny Masters have already opened for indie elders like Clap Your Hands Say Yeah, Patrick Wolf and Man Man. Download “Hologram World,” which features the Yeah Yeah Yeah’s Karen O and Nick Zinner, at I Guess I’m Floating and check out the band’s Web site for a few more freebies from Bang Bang Boom Cake, out now.

Let Love Rule

Lenny Kravitz has announced two LPs for 2008. Stream the upcoming singles “Bring it On” (think “Mama Said”) and “I’ll Be Waiting” (think every song he’s tried to win Lisa Bonet back with) exclusively at Spinner. Both will appear on February’s It is Time for a Love Revolution.

The first step in a Lenny Kravitz revolution: Doing away with contractions.

Happy Halloween!

The List

10/30

Ian Ball, Who Goes There (Dispensary Records)

Puscifer, V is for Vagina (Puscifer Ent.)

Sharon Jones & the Dap Kings, 100 Days, 100 Nights (Daptone)

World Party, Best in Show (Seaview)

11/6

David Byrne, The Knee Plays (Nonsuch)

Cursive, Bad Sects (Saddle Creek)

Gorillaz, D Sides (EMI)

Grizzly Bear, Friends EP (Warp)

Sigur Ros, Hvarf/Heim (XL)

11/13

Dillenger Escape Plan, Ire Works (Relapse)

The Hives, The Black and White Album (Interscope)

LCD Soundsystem, 45:33 (DFA)

11/20

Daft Punk, Alive 2007 (Virgin)

If you like this story, consider signing up for our email newsletters.